Skincare Essentials for the Woman in Her Twenties

Your twenties are the time of your life (well to be fair….you can have the time of your life at any age) when your skin is probably its most forgiving of your transgressions…And I’m sure you commit a number of them – Sleeping with make-up on, drowning in alcohol and not taking enough water, experimenting with skin lighteners and brighteners….Guilty as charged?

Still, your twenties are actually the perfect time for you to build the discipline and the habits that will keep your skin at its best as you grow older.

1. Wash your face: It seems pretty basic but washing your face twice daily is not an option, ladies! And you should absolutely not be using toilet soap on your face! You’ll want to get a cleanser or facial wash which is specifically formulated to be used on the skin unlike a regular bar soap. To wash properly, wipe off your makeup with a face wipe and then use your facial wash for a second level of cleaning.

2. Start exfoliating: Exfoliation is a fancy word for removing dead skin cells! This process helps you stimulate the skin so that it can produce new growth. To do this, you can buy a scrub that contains sugar, salt or any other natural exfoliating substance. If you’re #TeamDIY, you can even make yours at home! We recommend that your face scrub be different from your body scrub. Why? Well,the skin on your face is much more sensitive than the skin on your body and if you use a harsh scrub, you might give yourself micro-cuts on your face. Make sure to apply a moisturising cream immediately after exfoliation. You’re going to love the glow this will give you, because another benefit of exfoliation is enhanced blood flow to the face!

3. Start using an eye cream: Don’t panic! You don’t have crow’s feet yet! But, you need to go on the offensive with this one, especially if you’re a happy-go-lucky smiler. When you smile, the thin and gentle skin beside your eyes wrinkles, and this is usually one of the first spots to develop wrinkles. Dealing with this is the easiest thing: Get a hydrating eye cream and dab on the spot, morning and night. It’ll sink into your skin and leave you with nothing to worry about!

4. Say yes to SPF: One of the biggest misses we make with our skincare routine is to assume that because we’re Africans, melanin filled and used to the sun, we don’t need sunscreen. That’s not true! The sun is the biggest cause of aging. Now, because of the intensity of the sun here, it’s recommended that you use sunscreen with higher SPF numbers – SPF 30 or 45. Keeping away from the sun or using hats and sunshades when you can’t, should also be top on your list.

5. Take your vitamins: A lot of what happens to your skin has to do with what you take in. It’s important that you’re diligent with your fruits and vegetables. It’s unlikely that your meals will contain all the trace elements you need, so embrace supplements as well. Even if you’re not a fan of whole fruits, you can blend them and drink away. So, get to drinking those smoothies! You need vitamins A, B3, C, E and K, to begin with. If you can apply these topically as a lotion or cream, even better!

6. Water, water, water: Your body is made up 70% water so you can’t get away from this. Not only is water great for your system, but it’s also great for your skin. Picking a bottle of water over fizzy drinks is a good habit to imbibe. Get into the habit of taking a bottle of water along with you during the day. Immediate benefits of water to the skin include flushing out of unwanted toxins, getting rid of dark under-eye circles, improved mental performance and many more. Stay hydrated!